By Abioye Tosin Lawrence
Publisher, Oriontimes Online Newspaper
At 92 years old, President Paul Biya should not still be thinking that Cameroon cannot survive without him. Leadership is meant to serve, not to own. It is disheartening that after more than four decades in power, he still sees himself as the anchor of the nation’s future.
If U.S. President Joe Biden could voluntarily withdraw from the presidential race to make way for Vice President Kamala Harris, all in the interest of national renewal, then African leaders should learn that true greatness lies in knowing when to step aside.
President Biya must not set Cameroon on fire. The legacy he has built over decades risks being consumed by the flames of anger as frustrated citizens take to the streets. When the people’s patience collapses into protest, history remembers not the years in office, but the stubbornness that destroyed what could have been preserved.
Africa can and must do better. More than six decades after independence, many of our nations still battle with leadership addiction, corruption, and recycled politics. Meanwhile, nations that once looked up to Africa have advanced beyond recognition.
A new generation of Africans is rising-armed not with weapons, but with WiFi, knowledge, and courage. The youth no longer seek permission to dream; they seek connection to truth, to opportunity, to the global space.
Paul Biya must understand that the age of fear is ending, and the age of accountability has begun.
About the Writer:
Abioye Tosin Lawrence is the publisher of Oriontimes Online Newspaper. An adventurer and journalist who has toured about six West African countries, he writes on governance, justice, and the African spirit of renewal.